Bayer to include blood clot risks on Yaz and Yasmin packages

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WASHINGTON — Bayer HealthCare said Friday it has added new information about the risks of blood clots to its contraceptive pills Yaz and Yasmin.

In cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration, the company said it added new labeling stating that the risks of blood clots with Yaz and Yasmin are similar to those with other oral contraceptives.

The statements are based on two large, multiyear studies of more than 120,000 women taking contraceptives in the U.S. and the U.K.

Yaz and Yasmin each contain a combination of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, derivatives of naturally occuring female hormones. The drugs were Germany-based Bayer's top-selling pharmaceutical franchise last year, with combined sales of $1.64 billion.

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